Co-Curricular Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections
to Land, Culture and the Relational Self | April 2023

Way' SSHRC Project Educators, Community Partners, Research Partners, and Research Assistants,

Our hearts are full with the news that Pauline Terbasket, Syilx Director of Okanagan Nation Alliance, and one of our respected partners has been granted an honourary doctorate from UBC. Congratulations from all of us, Dr. Pauline!

As we engage in our rich local partnerships, we are learning all of the time. For some of us, the Syilx Moon Calendar is a new understanding. It reflects that this place is transitioning from sknir̓mən (generally Mar 2 - 30) when the sagebrush buttercups are found on Syilx Okanagan Land at low elevations, to kpəckɬtan, the time of budding leaves (generally Mar 31 - Apr 29). We express gratitude for all of the gifts we are given by the land, the animals, the plants, and the water here on unsold Syilx Okanagan Territory.

Most recently, we journeyed together during the Working the Ideas Forum learning with, from and alongside educators; colleagues from the University of Alberta (scroll to the end of the newsletter to read about U of A research assistant, Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty who joined us for the forum), the University of Ottawa, and University of Toronto; local partners, researchers, and community members.

We continue to orient toward educators’ curricular efforts to create the needed learning spaces to engage with their students in complicated curricular conversations. Please take advantage of the upcoming opportunities, events, resources, and introductions listed below. Let us know any time how we may contribute to your co-planning and co-curricular-making. Please contact the team through danielle.lamb@ubc.ca or margaret.macintyre.latta@ubc.ca.

Sincerely,
SSHRC Facilitation Team

Upcoming Opportunities

Learning on, with and from the Land with the Instructional Leadership Team of Central Okanagan Public Schools (ILT) | next session Thursday, April 13 4:00 - 5:00 pm at North Glenmore Elementary where we will be thinking about gratitude for the land (at the local park - Glen Millard Pond).

nsyilxcən Language Lessons with Jasmine Peone and the ILT | Thursday, April 13  5:00 – 6:00 pm at North Glenmore Elementary where we will be learning our fourth set of words. Check out what we have been learning so far on our website.

Nature Network Zoom Session with the ILT | next session Monday, April 17 3:30 – 4:45 pm, where we will be learning about how plants & animals are our teachers. Zoom link here. Check out what we have been learning so far on our Nature Network website.

Syilx & Settler Pedagogy Circle | next session Tuesday, April 18 3:30-4:30 pm online Facilitated by Kelly Terbasket (IndigenEyez), Kelly Hanson, & Jody Dlouhy-Nelson Grappling "in the co-" with questions of co-curriculum makers on Syilx Okanagan Territory: We continue to strengthen our co-curricular making and build our connectedness through such rich exchanges of insights and understandings. Zoom Link here For more info. e-mail jody_dlouhy.nelson@ubc.ca

captikwl Lunch Group with the ILT | next session Wednesday, May 24 9:00 am – 2:30 pm in person where we will be meeting to connect our learning to the land. Check out what we have been learning so far on our website.

nakulamen (what we do): syilx Traditional Plant Use Walking Tour | April 30 1:00 -3:00 pm Hosted by Okanagan Museums The Okanagan is incredibly biodiverse, and the syilx/Okanagan people have deep knowledge of how to use the different plant species for food, medicine, shelter, even natural deodorant! Put on your walking shoes and join us for this always popular outdoor event. To register.

Los Tours del Museo | April 8, April 22, May 13, May 27, June 10, June 24 2:00 -3:00 pm Hosted by the Okanagan Museums A tour hosted by Maria Garcia and conducted in Spanish takes you on a journey through the natural and human history of the Okanagan Valley. Learn in Spanish about geological features, biodiversity, the First Nations people, and early settlers. More Information.

Bringing the Salmon Home Festival | May 2, May 3 Hosted by Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative. Please join us for the third Bringing the Salmon Home Festival. All events are free and online. REGISTER NOW!

Kelowna Art Gallery (KAG) | KAG offers ongoing programing for students and teachers. To learn more about tour opportunities at KAG and how to book a session, go to this link: Kelowna Art Gallery School Tours.

For more information about our community partners please visit their sites: Okanagan Nation Alliance, IndigenEYEZ, Kelowna Art Gallery, and Kelowna Museums. Do you have an event that you would like to share? Please email the SSHRC PG facilitation team.

 

Syilx Language 

sknir̓mən | time of buttercups 

kpəckɬtan | time of budding leaves

See the ta’tupa Spirit Bear Moon Calendar on the Okanagan Nation Alliance Resource Page

Upcoming Opportunities Continued

Learn With Us | 2023 | Hosted by IndigenEYEZ / KinShift. An array of workshops, including some by custom design, are experiential and guided by Indigenous values: reciprocity, inclusion, curiosity and humility. Workshops for Indigenous Women, Leaders, Changemakers & Innovators, and workshops for Settlers, too. https://indigeneyez.com/learn/

ONA Events 2023 | March - May | Hosted by Okanagan Nation Alliance. Including Spring River Restoration Workshop, Syilx Drug & Human Trafficking Forum, And Shingle Creek Fry Release. Syilx.org events here

K’west’lap ee Stethtatht (Truth Shows Itself) | May 17, May 24, May 31, and June 7 1:00-4:00 pm | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. What does it mean to be a Syilx ally? How do you understand the local Indigenous culture and perspective? Why does it matter? Presented by Syilx Elders Grouse and Pamela Barnes, this workshop series will help you understand and progress on the Truth and Reconciliation journey. Through a series of four 3-hour workshops, participants access 12 hours of training in Indigenous cultural competency led by Syilx Elders who are experts in this topic, having presented to workplaces and academic groups over many years.

Learning a Language: Nsyilxcən for Everyone | April 18, April 25, May 2, May 9, 2023 | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. A 4-week beginner language course led by Knowledge Keepers and Elders of the Syilx nation. https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/indigenous/

Pinking Index | Until May 7, 2023 | Hosted by the Kelowna Art Gallery. Hannah Jickling + Reed H. Reed present a new body of work that features an index of calligraphy and mono prints created from school ground refuse. Their work is created in resistance to the cultures and industries that target children, while seeking to define new tastes and modes of production on eclectic terms. Kelowna Art Gallery Exhibitions here

For more information about our community partners please visit their sites: Okanagan Nation Alliance, IndigenEYEZ, Kelowna Art Gallery, and Kelowna Museums. Do you have an event that you would like to share? Please email the SSHRC PG facilitation team.

Co-Curricular Making Resources

The purpose of these curricular resources is to enhance educators’ professional knowledge and capacities toward curricular Indigenization. All materials and resources included on this site are publicly available.

Co-Curricular Resource Site

Meet one of our Research Assistants (RAs)

Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty

Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty was born and raised in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Her family is from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8 Territory. Etienna has teaching experience in First Nation community schools and in provincial schools, also in public and Catholic school systems. Etienna now works provincially as an Indigenous Education consultant, coach, and independent contractor. Etienna has helped to develop and implement workshops aimed at promoting reconciliation through teacher education. Etienna has created resources that help teachers better understand topics such as Residential Schools, Métis Settlements, Inuit History, myths and stereotypes of Indigenous people, progression of the TRC, Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy, and Treaty Relationships. Etienna is a certified teacher and completed her Masters in Secondary Education at the University of Alberta. Her thesis was titled Pihtikwe: Exploring Withness in Teacher Preparedness and Professional Development. She is now a doctoral student at the University of Alberta. To learn more, go to Etienna's YouTube channel. 

For information on the other Research Assistants, click the link below.

Meet the RAs

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